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This article discusses a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine that examines the issue of food insecurity among low-income adults in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study analyzes data from the National Health Interview Survey and compares food insecurity rates in 2019, 2021, and 2022. The findings reveal that food insecurity increased among low-income adults during the pandemic, especially among those with diet-sensitive chronic conditions. The study emphasizes the need to address food insecurity as a driver of health disparities in the country. It also suggests that financial relief and nutritional benefits, such as SNAP, are crucial in reducing food insecurity, but the early termination of SNAP emergency allotments may have contributed to the increase in food insecurity in 2022. The study highlights the importance of considering these factors in future nutritional policies. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Racial/ethnic minority populations in the United States have increased rates of diabetes compared with White populations. The 2021 guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommend diabetes screening for adults aged 35 to 70 years with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 kg/m2 or greater.Objective: To determine the BMI threshold for diabetes screening in major racial/ethnic minority populations with benefits and harms equivalent to those of the current diabetes screening threshold in White adults.Design: Cross-sectional study.Setting: NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey), 2011 to 2018.Participants: Nonpregnant U.S. adults aged 18 to 70 years (n = 19 335).Measurements: A logistic regression model was used to estimate diabetes prevalence at various BMIs for White, Asian, Black, and Hispanic Americans. For each racial/ethnic minority group, the equivalent BMI threshold was defined as the BMI at which the prevalence of diabetes in 35-year-old persons in that group is equal to that in 35-year-old White adults at a BMI of 25 kg/m2. Ranges were estimated to account for the uncertainty in prevalence estimates for White and racial/ethnic minority populations.Results: Among adults aged 35 years with a BMI of 25 kg/m2, the prevalence of diabetes in Asian Americans (3.8% [95% CI, 2.8% to 5.1%]), Black Americans (3.5% [CI, 2.7% to 4.7%]), and Hispanic Americans (3.0% [CI, 2.1% to 4.2%]) was significantly higher than that in White Americans (1.4% [CI, 1.0% to 2.0%]). Compared with a BMI threshold of 25 kg/m2 in White Americans, the equivalent BMI thresholds for diabetes prevalence were 20 kg/m2 (range, <18.5 to 23 kg/m2) for Asian Americans, less than 18.5 kg/m2 (range, <18.5 to 23 kg/m2) for Black Americans, and 18.5 kg/m2 (range, <18.5 to 24 kg/m2) for Hispanic Americans.Limitation: Sample size limitations precluded assessment of heterogeneity within racial/ethnic groups.Conclusion: Among U.S. adults aged 35 years or older, offering diabetes screening to Black Americans and Hispanic Americans with a BMI of 18.5 kg/m2 or greater and Asian Americans with a BMI of 20 kg/m2 or greater would be equivalent to screening White adults with a BMI of 25 kg/m2 or greater. Using screening thresholds specific to race/ethnicity has the potential to reduce disparities in diabetes diagnosis.Primary Funding Source: Richard A. and Susan F. Smith Center for Outcomes Research in Cardiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]